Swimming pool seal structure

ABSTRACT

A seal or water stop structure for use along a concrete coping at the upper edge of a swimming pool and a method of molding such coping utilizing the seal structure. The seal structure includes an elongated seal component forming a permanent part of such swimming pool, and which component has a barrier element interposed between the upper edges of the pool and concrete coping overlying the same. The seal structure further includes a tear strip component frangibly attached to the seal component along a line of weakness for separation therefrom with a mold form after the concrete coping has been constructed. In the method of molding concrete coping, the side walls of the pool are first covered with tile or other water-impervious finish, and a disposable mold form having a surface portion thereof configurated in the finished shape to be imposed thereby upon the coping and having also an attachment portion equipped with a double-faced pressure-sensitive tape is secured by means of such tape to the finished surface of the pool walls with the configurated surface portions of the mold form projecting thereabove. The seal structure is inserted between a part of the attachment portion of the mold form and pool wall, and is secured to each prior to a moldable mass of concrete being spread against the mold form. Upon curing of the concrete mass, the tear strip component of the seal structure is separated from the seal component thereof along such line of weakness, and such separation of the tear strip component is effective to strip the mold form from the pool walls and coping.

United StateS Patent Ste'g'meier SWIMMING POOL SEAL STRUCTURE I541- [76] Inventor: William J. Stegmele'r, 1919 Ygnacio Valley Road, Apt. 66, Walnut 1 Creek,Calif. 94596 22] Filed: June 21,1971 2 1 A 1. 1-16.=1s4,6s

Related Ul sditpplicatlon Data [60] Division of se'i. N0. 319,173, April 25, 1969, Pat. No. 3,605,357, which is a continuation-in-part of Set.

N0. 761,726, Sept. 23, 1968.

52 U.s.c|. ..52/9s,52/169,52/300, 52/396 51 niacin, ..F04b1/ 41,E04f15/l4 [58] FieldofSearch...; ..52/98,l00,l7 3,l69, 300, 52/127, 396, 393; 4/172.21

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,239,975 3/1966 Stier... ..52/300x 3,319,384 5/1967 Berg ..52/100 3,512,313 5/1970 Turner ..52/100 3,524,291 8/1970 Rozanski... ...52/30ox 3,526,070 9/1970 Deason", ..52/l69 Attorney-Joseph B. Gardner 14s] 1 Jan. 9, 1973 57 ABSTRACT structure further includes a tear strip component I frangibly attached to the seal component along a line of weakness for separation therefrom with a mold form after the concrete coping has been constructed. In the method of molding concrete coping, the side walls of the pool are first covered with tile or other water-impervious finish, and a disposable mold form having a surface portion thereof configurated in vthe finished shape to be imposed thereby upon the coping and having also an attachment portion equipped with a double-faced pressure-sensitive tape is secured by means of such tape to the-finished surface of the pool walls with the configurated surface portions of the mold form projecting thereabove. The seal structure isinserted between a part of the attachment portion of the mold form and pool wall, and is secured to each prior to a moldable mass of concrete being spread against the mold form. Upon curing of' the concrete mass, the tear strip component of the seal structure is separated from the seal component thereof along such line of weakness,and such separation of the tear strip component is effective to strip the mold form from the pool walls and coping.- i Y i 9 Claims, 1 Drawing Figures 1 p SWIMMING POOL SEAL STRUCTURE RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of my copending application so. No; 819,173, filed Apr. 25, 1 969, now Pat. No; 3,605,367, which isa continuation in part of my cop'ending application Ser. No. 761,726, filed Sept. 23, 1968; I

Thisinvention relates generally to the construction of swimming pools and the like and, more particularly,

1 to a seal structure for use. along a concrete coping overlying the upper edges of a swimming-pool and to a method of utilizing such seal structure in molding the I coping.

In constructing a concrete swimming pool, the commonly followed practice'is to first build the upwardly extending concrete side walls and bottom walls therefor, usually as an integer and by a technique known as the gunnite process. After the concrete side walls have at least partiallycured, wooden strips (sometimes referred to as ledgers and which are often 2 X 6's) are'nailed directly to the side walls along the upper edges thereof, and then face strips (often wooden l 6's) are nailed to the ledgers and extend upwardly therefrom and define a mold therewith adapted to confine a mass of moldable concrete spread thereagainst which, when cured and the face and ledger strips removed, defines a coping extending inwardly I from and overhanging the upper edges of the pool side walls. Thereafter, the tile or other water-impervious finish for the side walls is secured totheinner surfaces thereof, and grout is interposed between the upper edge of such tile and the overhanging coping. Finally, a

rubber fillet is positioned in the corner defined along the grout so as to enclose such corner and make the same substantially watertight.

It maybe noted that'the' upwardly extending side walls of a water-filled pool experience little thermal expansion and contraction since they are almost comple'telyimmersed within the body of water confined within the pool and are therefore maintained at a relatively constant temperature. In contrast, the concrete coping at the top of the pool is almost'continuously experiencing thermally-induced expansion and contraction because it is exposed directly-to the ambient atmosphere and its temperature therefore vasequence, there is relative expansion and contraction between the side walls of the pool and the coping thereof, and the common fabrication practice explained attempts to accommodate such relative movethat of FIG. 1, but showing the wall portion after the ries with changes in ambient conditions. As a conment along the juncture of the side walls and coping while still providing awatertight seal therealong by the use of grout and therubber fillet thereover. It will be evident that both thegrout and exposed rubber fillet are. subject to cracking, wherefore the juncture pro- I tected .therebyis proneto permit water seepage. H

In view of the foregoing, an object, among others, of the present invention is to provide an improved joint between the upwardly'extendingside walls of a pool and the coping therealo'ng, and which joint is substan tially sealed against-penetration by moisture and automatically accommodates and compensates for any slight variations in elevation and surface flatness of the upper edge .of thepoolside walls where they meet the coping tofdefine suchpoint. Anotherobject of the in-.

vention isthat of providing an improved seal structure having a seal component equipped with a barrier element adapted to extend along such-pool walls in interposed relation between the inner surface portions of the upper edges thereof and the coping overlying the same so as to effect such improved joint therebetween, and which seal structure further-has a tear strip component frangibly attached to the seal component thereof along a line of mergence enabling separation of the tear strip component following the molding operation in which the coping is formed along the upper edges of the pool walls.

Still a further object is in the provision of an improved method of molding a concrete coping along the upper edges of a swimming pool or the like, and which method enables the water tile or other water-impervious finish to be secured to the upwardly extending side walls of the pool before the coping is formed .therealong, thereby resulting in a more attractive appearance, better fit of the coping, elimination of therequirements for grouting and the necessity of a rubber fillet, and also resulting in a long lasting, substantially watertight seal being effected between the walls and coping. Additional objects and advantages'of the invention, especially as concerns particular features and characteristics thereof, will become apparent as the specification develops. I I

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken vertical sectional view showing an upper inner edge portion of the side wall of a pool with a mold form and sealstructure in position therealong;

FIG. 2 is a brokenvertical sectional view, similar to generally vertical or upwardly extending'walls maybe enlarged somewhat, in thickness at their' upper ends to form a bond beam which is rather standard practice. By way of example,;the concrete. walls 'of, the pool may have a thickness of about 4 inches throughout most of their extent, but at their upper ends the side walls'enlarge to about eleven inches in thickness for a vertical depth of approximately 1 foot to define such bond beam at the upper edges thereof. The portion of 'the 1 poolillustrated in FIGS. 1 and -2 is denoted in general with the numeral 10, and it has an upper edge 11 and an innerface or surface 12. The face 12 has a water-im.

. ervious finish 13 secured thereto which may be ceramic tile attached to the facein theusual manner as,

' for example, by means .of adhesive or concrete .bed

mud. As stated hereinbefore, as respectsthese'features and characteristics of the pool, they-may be completely conventional and per se form no part of the present invention. Y I

Secured to the upwardly extending walls ofthe pool adjacent the upper edge 1 1 thereof is a disposable mold form 14 comprising a plurality of form sections (only one of which is shown) that may be identical except that certain of the sections arebent so as to conformto any curvatures and corner portions located along the side walls of the pool. In FIGS. 1 and 2,- the .form ,1 section shown has an inside bend formed therealong. In a typical instance, each-length or section of the form 14 is integral, from end-to-end thereof and has a length ofabout 9 feet, is also formedof a lightweight materialvhaving myriad interstitial spaces therein as,-"for example, one of'the synthetic plastics such as the plastic material sold under the trademark 19) which faces inthe same direction as that of the configurated surface portion 15,.and is provided centrally witha longitudinally extending channel 20 defining a pair of vertically spaced ribs or feet 21- and 22 adapted to be attached along the tile or finish 13, as described hereinafter.

In order to indicate the generalorder of the size of the mold forml4,'in.the specific instance thereof referred'to he'reinbefore in which each section has a length of about 9 feet, itrnay have-a thickness of about 7 2 inches at the rib-equipped attachment portion 19 thereof and a height of approximately 6 inches with about 4 inc-hes thereof projecting above the, upper edge II of the pool side wall 10. The form sections 14 may befabricated intheconfiguration shown in any suitable manner, as, for example, by being machined from elongated. bar stock or, depending upon the particular material employed, might'be extruded, formed-in-place or otherwise-,moldedFor moreparticular details concerning the mold form 1 4 ,reference may be made to my copending patent application, Ser. No. 761,726, filed Sept. 23, 1968. a

Extending along the attachment portion 19' of the mold form l4 is a tape strip 25 which is a two-sided or double-sided pressure-sensitive tape adhesively secured along one side thereof to the mold form 14 and I adhesivelysecuredalong its other side to the finish 13 of the pool 10.;Thijrs, each section of themold form 14 a is adhesively secured to the upwardly-extending walls 10. of the pool by means of the tape strip 25 which is substantially non-stretchable and, for example, might be fiberglass tape-or an adhesive transfer tap'e.: As

respects the present invention, the tape 25 may be'any one of a number. of commercially available tapes, and may besufficiently wide to cover the, two ribs 21 and 22 and the channel 20 definedtherebetween, but most conveniently a. somewhat; narrower tape strip is used which terminates below the lower terminus of a'ssal component or water stop 26' interposed between the' finish 1-3 andthe upper rib 2110f theattaehment' ortion 19. Thus, the tape strip 25 may beconveniently.

' restricted to the vertical height of the rib 22 as shown.

It will be noted in FIGS. 1 and 2 that a tape strip 2' 1'-is adhesively attached to the upper edge portion 28 of the.

mold form 14 for'purposes of preventing elongation thereof as it traverses an inside bend as described in may aforesaid cop'ending patent application.-

The seal or water stop structure 26 comprisesa' seal along the inner edge thereof and is, accordingly, transversely oriented with respect to such element 29. In the particular form shown, the angular disposition of the elements3l and 32 is substantially 90, and the skirt element is adapted to extend along the side walls 12 of the pool in substantially contiguous relation with the water-impervious finish 13 thereof.,Along its outer edge, the barrier element 31 is equipped with a relatively short depending lip 33 adapted to seat upon the upper edge 11 of the pool side walls,.as sh'own. The lip 33 is adapted to preven'ta body of mastic 34 used to adhesively secure the seal structure 26 to the upper'edges 11 of the pool wall from flowing into the space defined ment 3].

between such upper edge and the overlying barrier ele- Extendingupwardly from the barrier element 31 are a pair ,of spaced apart protuberances 35 and 36 the first of which is materally higher than the second and such protuberances are adapted to be embedded within the concrete that cures to form. the coping 16. The

protuberances 35 and 36 have oppositelytu'rned ledges component 30 further includes a transversely oriented or ribs 37 and 38, respectively, adapted to increase the bond with any material enclo'sing the. same. which usually is a body of mastic 34 used to secure the seal structure to the upper edges-11 of the pool, as is evident in FIGS. 2 and 3. For a similar, purpose, the protuberance 35 is T-shaped and has a generally horizontal cross bar39 at its upper end.

The :tear strip component 30 has, an inverted, generally L shaped configuration and includes a rela: tively narrow base 40 oriented in substantially coplanar relation with "hebarrier element 3.1. The tear strip m'ember41 that extends downwardly from the base 40 and converges toward the skirt-element 32 .so as to define a generally V-shaped tool-receiving space 42 therebetween. The member 41 is transversely disposed relative to the barrier element 31, and-it extends downwardly toa, greater distance than the skirt 32- so asto. overlie the same. T he tear strip component 3011s frangibly attached to the seal co'mponent291and such attachmentis defined by aline of weakness 43 formed adjacent the juncture of the skirt 32. withthe barrier element 31. Such line of weakness defines the onlyattachr'nentof thetea'r strip component30 to the seal component 29, and in this reference "it will be notedthat the skirt 32'at its lower terminus'isiseparatedfromi I the transverse member, as shown at44. i

FIGS. 2- and Sillustrate a body of mastic 45 used to secure the seal structure 26 tothemold forrn14,-and' for this same purpose the transverse member-may be equipped with afplurality of laterally projecting barbs 4 6adapted to project into and gripft ho mold form may be extruded in the configuration illustrated and cut into strips of any desired length. In order to indicate the general order of size of the seal structure 26, a specific instance thereof has a dimension of approximately five-eights of an inch from the undersurface of the barrier element 29 to the lower tip of the transversemember 41 with such member 41 extending about one eighth of an inch below the lower terminus of the skirt 32. The barrier element 31'has a width of about fivesixteenths of an inch from'the protuberance 35 to the line of weakness 43, and the base 40 has a width of approximately one-sixteenth of an-inch. The protuberance 35 has a height ofaboutthree-eights of an inch, the protuberance 36 is about three'thirty-seconds ofan inch in height, and the space between the protuberances 35 and'36 is about one-eighth of an inch.

In use of the seal structure 26 in providing the concrete coping 16 along the upper edge of a swimming pool, the inner surfaces of the side walls of surface portion 14 of the mold form so that the desired finished shape is imposed thereby upon the coping 16.

After the concrete mass definingthe coping 16 has cured, at least to the point that. it is self-sustaining, the mold form 14 and tear strip component 30 of the seal structure 26 are removed, thereby leaving the coping 16 and seal component 29 of the seal structure as shown in part in FIG. 4; Such stripping of the mold form l4 from the water-impervious finish 13 along the pool walls and from the concrete coping 16 may be accomplished (as shown in FIG. 4) byfirst breaking away a sufficien'tportion of the mold form 14 to expose the tear strip component 30 of the seal structure, and by then breaking away a portion of the transverse member 41 at one location so as to permit insertion into the space 42 of a tool 47 such as a screwdriver to serve as a wedge or lever to pry the tear strip component 30 away such pool are first equipped with the tile or other water impervious finish 13, as shownJin FIGS. 1

through 3. Each form'section used to provide the mold form ;l4 (assumed to have the tape strip 25 along the attachment portion'19 thereof) has the exposed side of such strip pressed against the finish 13.0f the pool with the configurated surface portion 15 of the mold form projecting above the upper edge 11 of'the pool, as shown in FIG. 1. As many form sections are provided as is necessary to assure a continuous rnold form about the side walls of the pool, and the various sections are abutte'd along their adjacent edges and are cut to the lengths necessary. 7 1

When all of the sections are in place (the order in which, all of the sections are first secured along the pool walls, need not be explicitly followed), appropriate lengths of the seal structures 26 are located as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by pressing the depending skirt 32 and transverse member41 between the surface 14-of the I pool and the upper rib 21 of the mold form. The seal structure is pressed downwardly so as to seat the lip 33 firmly upon the upper edge 11 of the adjacnet pool wall, and the skirt element 32 is located so as to be in substantially contiguous relation with th'e finish 13.0f the pool wall; The barbs 46 project into the relatively soft surface of the mold form 14, and since they are pointed upwardly serve to hold the seal structure 26 securely in the positionshown. As many lengths or seetions'of seal structures 26 are used toform an uninterrupted succession thereof about the pool, and the structures are secured to both the upper edges 11 of the pool walls and mold form 14 by the 'mastic bodies 34 and 45 which are applied along'the respective edge I portions of the seal structure, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. After the mastic has cured, a moldable mass of amorphous concrete is spread against the configurated invention.

from the skirt 32, thereby separating the same along the tear line or line of weakness 43. Such lateraldisplacement of the tear strip component 30 effects spearation of the mold form 14 from the pool wall and permits the mold form to'fall free thereof along with,

the tear strip component By removing the 'mold form 14'andtear strip com-- ponent 30 in the manner described, substantially no lateral pulling force is applied to the seal component 29 and as a result there is no chipping of the concrete coping l6 adjacent the juncture thereof with the finished 13. of the pool wall. Since the mastic .body.45 .is attached to the strip'component 30 and mold form 14, it is removed therewith and, as a consequence, there is no requirement for scraping or otherwisc'removing mastic from the walls of the pool or coping 16. Accordingly, there is a clean, sharp juncture of the coping 16 with the pool walls which juncture is defined by the depending skirt 32 along the upper edge thereof or, more particularly, along the line of weakness 43.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for purposes of making a complete disclosure thereof, it will be apparent-to those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the-spirit and principles. of the What is claimed is:

I. A seal structure in combination with a swimming pool having generally vertical, walls and a molded concrete coping overlying the upper edges of said walls and forming a juncture crack therewith extending inwardly from the exposed faces of said walls, said seal structure comprising an elongated seal component hav ing a barrier element disposedin said crack and extending outwardly from theface of, said side walls, and an elongated teaflstrip component positioned along the inner face of said side walls and frangibly attached to said seal component for separation therefrom following molding of such coping and being transversely oriented relativefto said barrier element so as to extend generally along the exposed face of such vertical walls.

- 2. The seal structureof claim 1 in which said seal and tear strip components are integral, and 'said frangible attachment of saidtear strip component to said seal therealong;

i 3. The seal structure of claim 2 in which said line of The seal structureof claim 3 in which said tear stripcomponent is equippedwith projecting barbs ex tending inwardly from the exposedside thereof to att'ach the strip to a mold form. V v

.5. The seal structure of claim 3 in whichsaid barrier el ment is equipped on the underside thereof along its outer e'tige portion with'arelatively small depending lip adapted to seat upon such upper-edges of the generally vertical walls, and a mastic material along the outer edge portion of said barrier element securing the same to said upper edges in sealing relation therewith.

. said tear strip.

. therealong.

8 berance'adap'ted to be embedded in such concrete cop- 7. The seal strtictur'e of claim 1 in which said seal component has a downwardly projecting skirt element extending between such generally vertical walls and 8. Theseal structure of claim 7 in which said seal and tearstrip components are integral, andsaid frangible attachment 'f said t ar strip component to said seal component being defined by a line of weakness '9. The seal stru cture of claim '8 in which said line .of weakness attaches said tear-strip componentto said barrier element'adjacent the juncture of said skirt element therewith. i Y

' i a t .1: a

ass 

1. A seal structure in combination with a swimming pool having generally vertical walls and a molded concrete coping overlying the upper edges of said walls and forming a juncture crack therewith extending inwardly from the exposed faces of said walls, said seal structure comprising an elongated seal component having a barrier element disposed in said crack and extending outwardly from the face of said side walls, and an elongated tear strip component positioned along the inner face of said side walls and frangibly attached to said seal component for separation therefrom following molding of such coping and being transversely oriented relative to said barrier element so as to extend generally along the exposed face of such vertical walls.
 2. The seal structure of claim 1 in which said seal and tear strip components are integral, and said frangible attachment of said tear strip component to said seal component being defined by a line of weakness therealong.
 3. The seal structure of claim 2 in which said line of weakness attaches said tear strip component to said barrier element.
 4. The seal structure of claim 3 in which said tear strip component is equipped with projecting barbs extending inwardly from the exposed side thereof to attach the strip to a mold form.
 5. The seal structure of claim 3 in which said barrier element is equipped on the underside thereof along its outer edge portion with a relatively small depending lip adapted to seat upon such upper edges of the generally vertical walls, and a mastic material along the outer edge portion of said barrier element securing the same to said upper edges in sealing relation therewith.
 6. The seal structure of claim 3 in which said barrier element is equipped with an upwardly extending protuberance adapted to be embedded in such concrete coping.
 7. The seal structure of claim 1 in which said seal component has a downwardly projecting skirt element extending between such generally vertical walls and said tear strip.
 8. The seal structure of claim 7 in which said seal and tear strip components are integral, and said frangible attachment of said tear strip component to said seal component being defined by a line of weakness therealong.
 9. The seal structure of claim 8 in which said line of weakness attaches said tear strip component to said barrier element adjacent the juncture of said skirt element therewith. 